ML24358A221
| ML24358A221 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 01/08/2025 |
| From: | Justin Poole Plant Licensing Branch III |
| To: | Holtec Decommissioning International |
| Wall S | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML24358A243 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML24358A221 (9) | |
Text
January 8, 2025 LICENSEE:
Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC FACILITIES: Palisades Nuclear Plant
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF NOVEMBER 20, 2024, HYBRID PUBLIC MEETING ON THE POTENTIAL PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT RESTART On November 20, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a hybrid public meeting to discuss the potential for the Palisades Nuclear Plant (Palisades) restart after permanently ceasing operation and entering decommissioning in May 2022. Several representatives of the NRC staff, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and members of the public participated both online and in person at the Grand Upton Hall at Lake Michigan College, which is located at 2755 East Napier Avenue in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
The purposes of the meeting to 1) have the NRC staff explain the NRCs Emergency Preparedness program and the status of the license application review for Palisades; 2) have FEMA present on their role in Emergency Preparedness; 3) have the NRC Palisades Restart Panel (PRP) provide an update on licensing reviews and inspection activities; 4) provide members of the public on opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns to the PRP regarding the project. Copies of the PRP charter describing the panels responsibilities, objectives, oversight activities, and planned communications were provided for the in-person meeting attendees and can be found in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS Accession No. ML23297A053). The meeting notice and agenda dated November 6, 2024, are available at ML24323A276. A list of in person and virtual meeting attendees is provided as an enclosure to this summary. The NRC and FEMA staffs presentations are summarized below and can be found at ML24323A052.
The meeting began with an open house where members of the public were able to speak with the NRC staff and view informative posters on topics such as Emergency Preparedness, the Reactor Oversight Process, A Day in the Life of a Resident Inspector, and the NRCs mission, followed by NRC and FEMA staff presentations.
The first presentation was delivered by the NRC staff on Emergency Preparedness. The presentation defined how the NRC evaluates plans to ensure public health and safety, the differences in regulatory requirements between decommissioned sites and active reactors, and how the NRC collaborates with FEMA, State, and local governments to ensure adequate emergency preparedness. Elaborating on Palisades status and emergency plans, the NRC staff explained that the plant has a Permanently Defueled Emergency Plan based on the storage of spent fuel. Additionally, Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC (HDI) is seeking to restore their previously NRC-approved emergency action level scheme for power operations, and to revise and upgrade their emergency plan for power operations to the latest standards. The NRC staff shared that they were reviewing HDIs proposed onsite emergency plan and have requested FEMA to review State and local emergency plans. The NRC staff further explained
that NRC inspectors from Region III will lead onsite inspections, including inspections related to emergency response facilities, communication equipment status, and the alert and notification system, while FEMA will lead offsite inspections. The NRC staff concluded the presentation by outlining the final steps in the NRCs process, detailing how Palisades will need to conduct a full participation emergency exercise in collaboration with State and local authorities to test both onsite and offsite capacity to assess and respond to an accident.
After the conclusion of the first NRC presentation, the Regional Assistance Committee Chair of FEMAs Region 5, delivered a presentation elaborating on FEMAs role in evaluating State and local Emergency Preparedness for Palisades. FEMA laid out their Emergency Preparedness program and the five step process to approve the State and local emergency plans for power operations at Palisades as described by Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 350, Review and Approval of State and Local Radiological Emergency Plans and Preparedness.
The first step of the process requires the State of Michigan to submit State and local emergency plans related to Palisades; FEMA stated that this application may be completed as early as the First Quarter 2025. The second step involves FEMA reviewing said plans, soliciting review and comment from other Federal agencies, and initial planning for public participation and exercises.
The third step consists of FEMA-led public meetings, providing information to the public on plans and soliciting public comments and concerns. The fourth step is to complete a joint full participation exercise involving State, local, and licensee personnel. Such exercises occur biennially at every commercial nuclear power plant, with the initial exercise requiring all elements to be observed and evaluated. HDI has proposed the summer of 2025 for the exercise. Finally, in step five, FEMA staff reviews the plans, public meeting comments, and the results to the exercise and determine if the offsite Emergency Preparedness is adequate for approval, informing the Michigan government, the NRC, and the public of their decision through the Federal Register.
The third and final presentation was delivered by NRC staff regarding the PRPs recent activities, including updates on Generic Letter (GL) 2004-02/Generic Safety Issue (GSI) 191, recent inspection activities, and Resident Inspector staffing. The NRC staff explained that GL 2004-02/GSI 191 is a request from the NRC for plants to perform evaluations of certain reactor vessel and reactor containment systems and described how, prior to Palisades shutdown, the plant had begun the process to address GL 2004-02/GSI 191. HDI had recently informed the NRC staff of their plans to resume work and close the issue at a public meeting on October 24, 2024, and the NRC staff stated that they anticipate HDIs updated plan in December 2024.
Since the meeting, by letter dated December 11, 2024, HDI submitted their updated plan, which can be found at ML24346A171. Elaborating on the inspection activities, the NRC staff shared that they had conducted inspections of the plants primary coolant system decontamination, reactor pressure vessel, and steam generator in the Third Quarter of 2024. Finally, the NRC staff announced that they had selected Resident Inspectors for Palisades, assigning Joseph Mancuso as the Senior Resident Inspector and Takuma Okamoto as the Resident Inspector.
Following the presentations, the NRC provided time for comments from several representatives of State and local governments. After the elected officials, the NRC provided time for members of the public to make comments or ask questions of the NRC staff. The NRC staff addressed several questions during the question-and-answer session of the meeting.
There were several comments from the public in favor of the potential restart. Individuals gave a variety of reasons for their support, including the plants consistent safety prior to shutting down, economic opportunities for local communities, and the potential to support Michigans power grid and help meet the States carbon free goals. Additionally, several commenters expressed
their interest in the potential implementation of Small Modular Reactors on the site.
Several of the questions asked during the meeting sought further discussion on subjects from the presentation, as well as clarification on other matters in the restart process. For instance, several members of the public wanted to know more about how FEMA will be engaging with certain local communities as they help develop emergency plans. Others wished to ask specific questions about components of the power plant, inquiring into their function and status, and how the NRC would be overseeing inspections. Finally, some members of the public provided statements and suggestions for potential improvements to the plant.
Other comments were against the potential restart. Members of the public expressed concerns about the plants age, the condition of components in the plant, and the potential impact of emergencies on local communities and the environment. Several commenters also made statements regarding the use of Department of Energy funds for the potential restart.
The NRC received two Public Meeting Feedback Forms with no comments.
Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-2048, or via email at Justin.Poole@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Justin C. Poole, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255
Enclosure:
List of Attendees cc: Listserv
Enclosure List of Attendees November 20, 2024, Public Outreach Meeting for the Potential Palisades Nuclear Plant Restart U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Jamie Pelton, Deputy Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)/Division of Operating Reactor Licensing (DORL)
Justin Poole, Restart Project Manager, NRR/DORL/Plant Licensing Branch III (LPL3)
Ngola Otto, Project Manager, NRR/DORL/Licensing Projects Branch (LLPB)
Philip McKenna, Deputy Director, NRR/Division of Reactor Oversight (DRO)
Jason Kozal, Director, Region III (RIII)/Division of Operating Reactor Safety (DORS)
April Nguyen, Team Leader, RIII/DORS/Palisades Restart Team (PRT)
Michael Ziolkowski, Branch Chief, RIII/Security Emergency Preparedness and Incident Response (SEPIR)
Julie Winslow, Senior Project Engineer, RIII/DORS/PRT Jessica Hammock, Project Manager, NRR/Division of New and Renewal Licenses (DNRL)/License Renewal Projects Branch (NLRP)
Dori Willis, Team Leader, Office of Enforcement (OE)/Allegations Team (AT)
Carleen Parker, Allegation Coordinator, OE/AT Laura Willingham, Environmental Project Manager, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)/Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support (REFS)/Environmental Review New Reactors Branch 3 (ENRB3)
Mary Richmond, Environmental Project Manager, NMSS/REFS/ENRB3 Michael Norris, Senior Emergency Preparedness Specialist, Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR)/Division of Preparedness and Response (DPR)/Reactor Licensing Branch (RLB)
Keith Miller, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR/DPR/RLB Jeffrey Herrera, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR/DPR/RLB Charles Murray, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR/DPR/Policy, and Oversight Branch (POB)
Michael Spencer, Senior Attorney, Office of the General Counsel (OGC)
Allan Barker, Regional Governmental Liaison Officer, RIII Harral Logaras, Regional Governmental Liaison Specialist, RIII Viktoria Mitlyng, Public Affairs Officer, R3/Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
Gehan Flanders, Intergovernmental Liaison Project Manager, NMSS/Division of Materials Safety, Security, State, and Tribal Programs (MSST)/Tribal Relations Team (TRT)
Gordon Curran, Safety and Plant Systems Engineer, NRR/Division of Safety Systems (DSS)/Containment and Plant Systems Branch Joseph Mancuso, Senior Resident Inspector, RIII/DORS/PRT Takuma Okamoto, Resident Inspector, RIII/DORS/PRT Edison Fernandez, Senior Reactor Inspector, RIII/DORS/Engineering & Reactors Project Branch (ERPB)
Michael Waters, Deputy Director, NSIR/DPR Liam ODonoghue, General Engineer, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO)/Human Recourses Learning and Development (HRLD)/Nuclear Regulator Apprenticeship Network Branch (NRANB)
Jennifer Beaton, General Engineer, OCHCO/HRLD/NRANB Jacob Davis, General Engineer, OCHCO/HRLD/NRANB Alexandra Terres, General Engineer, OCHCO/HRLD/NRANB Angela Prenger, Project Engineer, RIII/DORS/ERPB Prema Chandrathil, Public Affairs Officer, RIII/Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
Meredith Neubauer, Senior Civil Rights Specialist, Office of Small Business and Civil Rights (SBCR)/Civil Rights Program (CRP)
Cammie Hernandez, Administrative Assistant, RIII/DORS/ERPB/DC Cook Resident Office Sophie Holiday, Senior Emergency Response Coordinator, NSIR/DPR/Coordination Branch Tiffany Long, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR/DPR/RLB Paul Klein, Senior Materials Engineer, NRR/Division of New and Renewed Licenses (DNRL)/Corrosion and Steam Generator (NCSG)
Marlena Tatkowski, Reactor Inspector, RIII/DORS/ERPB Dwayne Myal, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR/DPR/Policy & Oversight Branch Andy Johnson, Senior Materials Engineer, NRR/DNRL/NCSG Steven Bloom, Branch Chief, NRR/DNRL/NCSG Peter Lom, Attorney, OGC Lindsay Merker, Senior Resident Inspector, Region IV/DORS/Project Branch D/Palo Verde Carolyn Wolf, Office of Congressional Affairs Ray McKinley, Deputy Director, Region I/DORS Eric Magnuson, Reactor Inspector, RIII/DORS/ERPB David Werkheiser, Senior Reactor Analyst, Region I/DORS Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Sean OLeary, Regional Assistance Committee Chair, Region 5 Todd Gemskie Carl Bebrich Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC (Holtec)
Nick Culp Lynn Summers Mike Mlynarek Michael Schultheis Kami Miller Val Gent Rich Burroni Gregory Baustian James Miksa Jean Fleming Members of the Public John Faul, County Administrator for Van Buren County Jacob Rushlow, Michigan House John Brenneman
John Simon, Covert Township Kevin Kamps, Beyond Nuclear Tom Palmisano Don and Janet Winnell Jen Jordan, Van Buren County DHD Kathy Barnes George Sleeper, City Council, City of South Haven Stuart Boekeloo Donna Cole, Labor Union 355 Ben David Simonelli Alan Blind Ross Stein, South Hven Charter Township Supervisor Joey Andrews, State Representative Sarah Clark Allegan County Emergency Management William Clark Ann Scott, Palisades Park Bruce Davis, Palisades Park Gerry Bundle, Chair Wolverine Power Coop Kate Hosier, City Manager, City of South Haven Greg Gothard, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
Bette Pierman, Michigan Safe Energy Future Ben M Leod, Field Representative, Office of U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga Tim Goerqer, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP)
AJ Camacho Annette Arden Tien Arpan Lobo Brian Sullivan Bruce Fetzer Bruce Foreman Cameron Hughes Carol Thompson Chris Williams Christian Moevs Connie Kline Darlene DeHud Dave Foerster Dennis Moore, Constellation Nuclear Derek Weldon Dillon Reed Dustin Dwyer
Edith Williams Edwin Lyman H Joseph Yost J Hulst Jaclyn Jacqueline Billette James Zoss Jan Boudart Jan O'Connell Jennifer Kanine Jennifer Pema Jennifer V Lamp Jessie Crozier JP Ohanessian Julie Swidwa Kaila Akina Kelly Mitchell Kim Hyeon-Soo, Office Director Doosan Energy Kraig Schultz (MSEF)
Laura Weir, LARA Max Lopez Meredith Burgess Michael Gallagher Michael Keegan Mitchell Boatman Ray Hochsprung Rebecca Lowy Renae Connell Rob / Airgas Ruthann Shawn Connors Sheri McWhirter Steve Catron Terry Richards Theodore R. Wentworth, EGLE Thomas Warnock Timothy Steenstra Tom Val Wohlscheid-Wohlscheid-Brennan Wade B Arends Zachary Smith, Constellation Nuclear 20XXXXXX52
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ML24358A243 (Package)
ML24358A221 (Meeting Summary)
ML24323A276 (Meeting Notice)
ML24323A052 (Slides)
OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL3/PM NRR/DORL/LPL3/LA RIII/PRT/TL NRR/DORL/LPL3/BC NRR/DORL/LPL3/PM NAME JPoole SRohrer (SLent for)
ANguyen IBerrios JPoole DATE 12/23/2024 1/2/2025 1/7/2025 1/7/2025 1/8/2025